SIDELINES

Undefeated Comets wing it

Genoa nearly unstoppable with its old-style offense

Genoa senior David Nutter rushed for 307 yards against Eastwood. Nutter has gained 751 yards for the 5-0 Comets. He also leads the team in tackles with 43.

Tim Spiess is 16-1 (including playoffs) as coach of the Comets, who have won 63 of their last 64 regular-season games.

GENOA — Genoa is 72-8 overall since the start of the 2007 football season when a new coaching staff implemented an old offense.

With various versions of the spread offense in place just about everywhere, the Comets have thrived with their old-school Wing-T scheme, first under coach Mike Vicars and now led by Tim Spiess.

The latest example was last Friday’s impressive 41-7 victory over Eastwood. With that Northern Buckeye Conference win, the Comets are 5-0 (2-0 NBC) and ranked No. 3 in the Division IV state poll.

“The boys played outstanding on Friday night,” said Spiess, who took over as head coach last season. “After the last few years, we are in charted territory. We’re used to being here.”

The Comets claimed the final four Suburban Lakes League crowns (2007-10) under Vicars without a league loss, then made it five titles in six years last season in Spiess’ first year. They have suffered just one loss in their last 64 regular-season games and ride a 15-game streak.

Genoa has outscored its five opponents 293-46, an average of 59-9 per game.

Numbers like these are now the norm at Genoa.

The bad news for the opponents is that the 17 Genoa seniors have been running this same offense since they were sixth-graders.

“It [seven years experience] allows us to do some things with the offense that we weren’t able to do in the past,” Spiess said. “This is a very intelligent group. In the top 20 of the 2014 class, I have to believe we have eight or nine of those kids or our football team.

“When you have that much intelligence to go with that much experience, it allows you to do some things you might not normally be able to do.”

Michael Deiter, a 6-foot-5, 308-pound two-way lineman, is a rare blend of size, strength, speed, and agility who plays left tackle, some guard, and has already committed to Wisconsin.

Senior quarterback Logan Scott directs the Wing-T offense for Genoa, which is ranked No. 3 in Ohio in Division IV.

“We all just have so much experience, and we all work hard in practice,” Deiter said of the line. “When game time comes, we’re just ready to go and play hard. We play fast and mean, and we’re aggressive. Everyone’s on the same page and ready to go.”

Deiter, who doubles at tackle on defense, has 14 tackles for loss.

“At this age, some kids may have some size, and some may have some athleticism,” Spiess said. “Michael is actually an elite athlete who has great size.

“When you’re able to combine those two traits at this level, he just stands out in the game.”

The primary ball-carrying duties in the run-heavy offense go to 6-foot, 227-pound senior David Nutter, whose older brother, Kyle, set school single-season and career rushing records in 2012.

Kyle now plays for the University of Cincinnati. Brother Andrew, a tight end and defensive lineman, graduated the year before.

“It’s very big in my family,” David Nutter said of Genoa football. “They’ve always pushed me to do my best. You never want to be slacking. No doubt he [Kyle] left some huge shoes to fill.

“I work very hard in the weight room. I was 145 pounds my freshman year, was 190 last year, and now I’m at 227.”

Nutter has carried 96 times for 751 yards and scored eight touchdowns. Against Eastwood he rushed 40 times for 307 yards and three TDs. As a linebacker, he tops the Comets in tackles with 43.